Religion Today Summaries - August 12, 2005

Justice Sunday II Headlines on Sky Angel
Sky Angel

This month Sky Angel, America's family-friendly television service, continues its tradition of delivering directly into homes, churches and more across the nation a wide variety of entertaining, inspiring and informative events focused on matters of faith and issues of importance to the Christian family. Airing live this Sunday, August 14, 7 to 8:30 p.m. ET, and re-airing 9 to 10:30 p.m. ET, Justice Sunday II: God Save the United States and this Honorable Court will be carried on Sky Angel's special events channel, Angel Two/Channel 9702. This event is being presented by the pro-family public policy group, Family Research Council based in Washington , D.C. The live event will center on the changes on the Supreme Court and how to stop judicial activism. Featured speakers will include Sen. Zell Miller, Focus on the Family's Dr. James Dobson, Rep. Tom DeLay, Catholic League's Bill Donohue, National Association of Evangelicals' Ted Haggard, among others. Music will be performed by Rebecca St. James and Jett Williams. "I am pleased that Sky Angel has agreed to provide churches across the country access to the Justice Sunday II simulcast which will educate pro-family Americans on what they can do to defend family, faith and freedom," said Family Research Council President Tony Perkins.(www.skyangel.com)

90-Day Prayer Period Underway
Baptist Press

A 90-day period of worldwide prayer for Saudi Arabs recently began and will continue through October. Here are some prayer requests you can use to lift them up:  Pray that God will pour out His Spirit on Saudi Arabs and draw multitudes of people to Himself. Pray that God will give the people He draws to Himself the faith they need to believe that Jesus is God's Son and to accept Him as their Lord and Savior. Pray that whole families -- and whole tribes -- will come to know Christ as their Savior and Lord. Pray that King Abdullah, the royal family and Saudi government leaders will come to know Jesus as Lord. Pray for the effectiveness of radio, television, satellite, Internet and other media that bring the Gospel to Saudi Arabs. Pray for the persecuted believers in Saudi Arabia, that God will grow His church out of their persecution. Pray for the body of Christ to be strengthened and to grow in purpose and unity throughout the country. Pray that God will draw Saudi Arab children and youth to Himself and reveal the truth of His salvation and love to them. Pray for Saudi Arab women who live under oppression and control from their families and society in general. Pray that God will lift their yoke of oppression and replace it with freedom found only in Christ.

Ex-Online Porn Developer Now Ministers Via Her Christian Web Site
Charisma News Service

A former developer of a pornographic Web site now ministers through the Internet to people who have been hurt through broken relationships. In 1995, Michele Washam lived in Delaware and designed what may have been one of the first "ladies only" adult pornographic websites, Just4Ladies.com, Baptist Press (BP) reported. The former porn site is now a Christian Web site. Washam, who now serves as the secretary for West End Baptist Church in Newport, Tenn., was not addicted to pornography, but the lucrative money sucked her in. Being raised by devout Catholic parents, Washam said she felt some guilt, but the money kept her from pulling the plug on her lucrative Web site. However, a major, life-changing event rocked Washam's life. Washam's former porn site is "dedicated to helping men and women cope with, overcome, survive and restore their broken hearts by combining faith in God and knowledge of His word." Washam has designed a workshop and she recently launched HeartbreakUniversity.org where she shares the course. Washam once had about 7,000 - 7,500 paid members on her pornographic Web site. About 1,200 of those have since signed onto her free Christian site, which has grown from 12 members to about 57,000. "Little by little I introduce them to God and gently guide them through the gospel." (www.charismanews.com)

S.C. Baptists, A.G. Partner To Help Domestic Violence Victims
Baptist Press

South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster announced July 8 a two-year grant which partners the agency with domestic violence assistance agencies and the South Carolina Baptist Convention. The $900,000 grant over a two-year period will fund prosecution efforts in seven rural counties. The South Carolina Baptist Convention will receive no money but will act as a connecting agency between churches and agencies assisting domestic violence victims. The grant is the first of its kind in the U.S. and the only known domestic violence grant to add a faith-based component. Roger Acton, associate director of the adult ministry group of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, who works mainly in ministries to families, stressed the convention's main goal will be to ensure pastors are aware of the severity of domestic violence in their area. Some victims may be sitting in their pews. It is what Acton calls an "awareness of what is already out there." The partnership will function as a two-way street where domestic violence assistance agencies can refer victims to churches if they so desire and pastors can refer victims to agencies for support. Domestic violence ranks as top crime problem in South Carolina, with incident reports steadily growing each year. More than 36,000 case of criminal domestic violence were reported in South Carolina last year.